Lyman Wight (1796–1858) (1)

Mormon History 1830-1844

Lyman Wight (1796–1858) (1)

On this page (1828–1835): Rigdonite §. Isaac Morley common stock company §. Baptized by Lamanite missionaries §. First mission §. Vision, High Priestood §. Mission to Jackson County §. 1832 mission §. Agrees to leave Jackson County §. Driven from county §. Zion's Camp §. Elected general of camp §. Reproved for disregarding Hyrum's order §. Clay County employment §. Missouri high council §. Kirtland House of the Lord §. At Lyman Wight (1796–1858) (2): Early settler of Far West §. Lobbies to depose Frederick G. Williams and presidency of Missouri church §. Moves to Daviess County (Adam-ondi-Ahman) §. Stake presidency §. Public intoxication §. Intimidates justice of the peace §. Danite leader, Liberty Jail prisoner, "escapes" with Joseph and Hyrum, settles Nauvoo, apostle, co-leader of Back River pinery, founds Texas colony, excommunicated.

Born		May 9, 1796 in Fairfield, Herkimer County, New York	Lyman Wight (h)
Died		March 31, 1858 in Dexter, Texas (buried in Zodiac)
Father		Levi Wight Jr.
Mother		Sarah Corbin
		War of 1812 serves briefly.	Lyman Wight (h)
		January 5, 1823 marries Harriet Benton at Henrietta, New York.
Ohio		[1826] moves to Warrensville, Ohio.
Hears Sidney preach		May 1829 hears Sidney Rigdon preach "the Rigdonite doctrine."	Lyman Wight Journal, 151.
Rigdonite		August 1829 baptized by Sidney Rigdon, while living in Warrensville. John Murdock and "many others" also baptized.	Lyman Wight Journal, 151–152.
Morley family		February 1830 moves to Isaac Morley house in Kirtland to begin covenant community based on Acts 2. Billings also moves. Lyman and Sarah have one son under ten and two daughters under 5. Soon joined by eight other families. "We truly began to feel as if the millennium was close at hand."	Lyman Wight Journal, 153. 1830 Census, 271.
Missionaries		Early November 1830 while preparing to move to Mayfield, where is to lead a new community of five families, Lyman meets Oliver Cowdery, Parley Pratt (h), Ziba Peterson, and Peter Whitmer Jr. He delays his departure to hear them preach.	Lyman Wight Journal, 153.
Baptized, ordained		November 14, 1830 Lyman and family are baptized by Parley Pratt in the Chagrin River (Kirtland). Confirmed on the 18th and ordained an elder on the 20th by Oliver Cowdery.	Lyman Wight Journal, 154.
Nelson church		[February–March], 1831 Lyman and John Whitmer organize a church in Nelson, Portage County, Ohio.	J. Whitmer, 55.
Mission with Orson Pratt		Spring 1831 one month mission with Orson Pratt as far as 100 miles west of Kirtland.	¶ Orson Pratt (h1)
		May 1831 baptizes John Smith (not Joseph Smith's uncle) of Northampton, Portage, Ohio.
Priesthood, vision		June [4], 1831 the first elder ordained to the High Priesthood, by Joseph Smith. Has a vision of the Lord and prophesies that the Second Coming will occur in this generation and some will be martyred. Ordains Parley P. Pratt (h), Thomas B. Marsh (h), Isaac Morley, Edward Partridge, Joseph Wakefield, Ezra Thayer, Martin Harris, Ezra Booth, Harvey Whitlock, Joseph Wakefield, Joseph Smith Sr., Joseph Smith Jr., John Whitmer.	¶ Lyman Wight's Vision and the Man of Sin ¶ Minutes of June [4], 1831 (according to these minutes, Lyman Wight ordained Sidney Rigdon.)
Call to Zion Beware of Satan		June 6, 1831 called to Jackson County with John Corrill. Lyman warned to beware, "for satan desireth to sift him as chaff."	¶ D&C 52
Michigan		June 14, 1831 Lyman, Hyrum Smith, John Murdock, and John Corrill accompany Lucy Mack Smith and her sister-in-law Amira Mack to Fairport, where they board the steamer William Penn for Detroit (Mack home). Lyman and John Corrill labor in Oakland County before leaving for Missouri, Hyrum and John Murdock travel south through Elkhart.	Murdock autobiography, 23.
		Summer 1831 while Lyman proselytes, Harriet moves to Jackson County, Missouri with their three children, ages seven, five, and three. They join the Big Blue settlement three miles west of Independence.	Orange Wight, 1.
Illinois		August 10, 1831 baptizes Sanford Porter near Plainfield, Cook [Will], Illinois.	Joseph Grant Stevenson, The Porter Family 1:86 citing Porterville Ward records.
Baptize and ordain		[Morris Phelps:] They held a meeting at my house again, and we went to the place prepared, and the ordinance was performed for myself, my wife, and eldest daughter [Malinda]—and I was ordained an Elder, and set apart to labor [90] as a missionary in and around the vicinity where we lived. The elders then went to the home of Nathan Sumner, about 6 miles from our place, whom they also baptized and ordained an Elder and set him apart also to labor with me as a missionary in adjoining towns.	Morris Phelps letter, 19.
	¶	We then went about sixty miles north where we converted Morris Phelps, Baldwin Clark, and John Cooper, who were some of our old neighbors, as were also the Sumners, who afterwards became relatives-in-law. Shortly after our return, two elders passed through Tazewell County on their way from Jackson County, Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio, informing the Saints that Independence, Missouri had been designated as the gathering place … Shortly after this, I offered my property for sale, and prepared to go, and instructed the Saints over whom I was called to preside to do likewise. So on December 1st in the company with James Emmett, Morris Phelps, William Alldredge, John Alldredge, and a Mr. Berry—all with our families—set out for Independence, Missouri.	Morris Phelps sees two men passing through field on foot; at the same time, man on horse (James Emmett); he asks if he has seen Book of Mormon; no, only by letter; takes book from pocket, says those two are Mormon preachers; 20 meet that night; in the morning they baptize Emmett and ordain him an elder. Then the missionaries go south and baptize Porter. Charles C. Rich joins next year. Porter goes south with Sumner to preach to Clarks. This time Morris and Laura Phelps and John and Rhoda Cooper. Morris Phelps letter, 19.
		August 18, 1831 baptizes Morris Phelps in Tazwell County, Illinois.
Mission to Cincinnati, Bethany		January 27, 1832 Lyman and John Murdock, and Parley P. Pratt and Levi Hancock are assigned to preach along the south side of the Missouri River to Cincinnatti and Bethany, Virginia.	¶ Oliver to Joseph, January 28, 1832 Cincinnati was home to the Lane Theological Seminary where Presbyterian ministers were trained under the direction of the renowned Lyman Beecher. Bethany (formerly Buffaloe, (West) Virginia) was home to Sidney Rigdon's former colleague in the Reformed Baptist movement, Alexander Campbell.
Agrees to leave		July 23, 1833 Lyman and other leaders sign an agreement to leave Jackson County by January 1, 1834 and encourage all Saints to leave as soon as possible.	¶ Missouri Persecutions (1833-1834) (2).
Tongues		September 11, 1833 interprets song sung in tongues by P. P. Pratt.	¶ September 11, 1833
Driven from Jackson County		[Orange Wight:] When we were driven from Jackson County [November 1833] my father was chased by the mob in a westerly direction and my mother and I and two little sisters were taken by John Higbee in a small boat down the Big Blue River—three miles—and across the Missouri River to Clay County, Missouri.	Orange Wight, 1–2.
Joins family in December	¶	We were left on the north bank of the river with a number of others and heard nothing of father for three weeks, not knowing whether he had been killed or not. But we were rejoiced one morning in the latter part of December to find him in camp. He came through Jackson County in the night and across the river, I think on the ice. During our stay on the bank of the river we camped by the side of a big sycamore log about 6 feet in diameter. We [2] laid a few poles on one side on top of the log, the other end on the ground, spread a quilt or two on the poles, then under the quilts and poles by the side of the big log my oldest brother was born—Lehi Lyman Wighr—while a [howling] mob was chasing father to kill him and we almost in a state of starvation.
Buys land, large house from Mr. Arthur		John Higbee provides venison and honey for the family. When Lyman returns, he "went again to Mr. Arthur and succeeded in buying 40 acres of land and a large two story house with a number of other buildings on the same ground, thus we had room to shelter nearly all the camp. There were, however, many others at other places but all got places somewhere during the winter."	This is the first mention of Mr. Arthur in Orange's reminiscence. In the summer of 1834, Arthur will hire Lyman and others to make bricks and build another house.
Kirtland	¶	[William E. McLellin:] In January 1834 the scattered, persecuted Elders … sent Lyman Wight and P. P. Pratt to Kirtland, O. to see the first Presidency of the entire church, in order to consult with them, … Wight was fully imbued with the war spirit, and inspired Smith and company with the idea of redeeming Zion, viz the Church of Zion, with men of War!!	Notebook 5 (1878), McLellin Papers, 327.
Counsels with Joseph		February 24, 1834 Lyman and Parley report the condition of the church in Zion. Clay county citizens assisting refugees from Jackson. Joseph declares he will go to Zion to assist in redeeming it and thirty or forty of those present volunteer.	Minutes of February 24, 1834
		March 15, 1834 Lyman and Sidney join Joseph at Father Beaman's house in Livonia.	MH-A, 447.
		March 18, 1834 Joseph ordains Lyman "to the office of Banamey in the presence of an angel."
$2,000 Kirtland debt		March 27, 1834 Lyman, Joseph, Sidney, Parley, John Murdock, Orson Pratt, and Orson Hyde attend conference in Avon, New York. Edmund Bosley, Roger Orton, Freeman Nickerson agree to raise $2,000 to pay off Kirtland debt. Joseph, Sidney, and Lyman to return directly to Kirtland (for Hurlbut trial); others to preach and raise funds and volunteers for Zion's Camp.	Minutes of March 17, 1834
Recruits in New York		April 1, 1834 Lyman and Parley preach in Richmond, New York recruiting volunteers for Zion's Camp.	¶ Wilford Woodruff
Recruites in Michigan		Raises volunteers for Zion's Camp with Hyrum Smith in Pontiac, Michigan
		Lyman and Hyrum's company travels through Ann Arbor, Jacksonsburgh, Spring Arbor, and Constantine, Michigan; Elkhart, Indiana; Ottawa, Pleasant Grove, Pekin, and Quincy, Illinois; and Palmyra, Missouri.	MH-A
Company steward		Hyrum Smith and Samuel Dent, serve as the company “moderators,” Lyman Wight steward, and Elijah Fordham historian.
General in charge		June 8, 1834 Lyman's company reaches the Salt River rendezvous in Monroe County, Missouri. Joseph Smith's company had arrived the previous day. Camp now totals 205 men and 25 baggage wagons. Lyman is elected general, with Joseph as commander-in-chief.	¶ Heber's Zion's Camp ¶ Wilford Woodruff
To lead like Moses		Br Joseph laid his hands on my head and blessed me and ordained me to lead the saint[s] up to Zion even as Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.	Lyman Wight to Wilford Woodruff, Aug. 24, 1857. Church Archives, CR 100 / 93.
Missouri		June [5], 1834 Camp crosses the Mississippi River into Missouri.	¶ Heber's Zion's Camp
		… at salt river I was ordained to take the command of the army, and done so till it was disbanded …	Lyman Wight sketch, 3.
Drills army		June [11], 1834 marches the Camp out on to the prairie, inspects firelocks, conducts target practice, marches the men around for two or three hours, then returns them to camp.
Disobeys orders		June 17, 1834 When Lyman Wight crossed the [Wacondah] River. he disapproved of our moving on to the Prairie, upon which Sylvester Smith ~~who had been appointed adjutant of the Camp~~, placed himself in the road, turned back all that he could by saying “are you following your General or some other man” and some twenty staid behind with Lyman Wight. …	MH-A, Addenda, 14.
		After the company had come up in the Prairie [Hyrum Smith] with brother R. Orton received an order to call upon brother L. Wight to place strong guard around the camp that night, but he refused doing any thing further, because he supposed that he, (brother Hyrum) supposed he had ordered the camp into the prairie without an order from the commander of the company	¶ Minutes of August 29, 1834
		He was then informed by brother Joseph that it was by his (brother J's) order that the camp should move into the prairie. …
		about Eleven oclock Lyman Wight arrived with the company that had remained with him. I called these together and reproved them for tarrying behind, and not obeying my Council, and told Lyman Wight never to do so again, he promised that he would stand by me for ever, and never forsake me again let the consequences be what it would	MH-A, Addenda, 14.
Promises obedience		… at the time when he (brother Joseph) had finished his remarks to brothers Wight & Sylvester, that he threw the horn upon the ground. That brother Wight told him the next day that he had had a jealousy existing in his mind against him (brother Hyrum) for some days, but now his mind was satisfied, and he said that when he received the order for moving the camp into the prairie, that brothers L. Wight & Sylvester were near by.	¶ Minutes of August 29, 1834
Substitutes for ailing Joseph		June 18, 1834 this day my health was so poor, I left the affairs of the Camp to the management of General Wight—
		June 19, 1834 camp between Big and Little Fishing Rivers. Vigilantes attack thwarted by violent storm.
Disband		June 22, 1834 Zion's Camp is disbanded.	J. Whitmer, 72n4.
To receive endowment		[June 23, 1834] called and chosen, … to receive his endowment in Kirtland with power from on high—And return to Zion and his office shall be appointed unto him hereafter.	¶ Minutes of June 23, 1834
Makes bricks		July 1, 1834 hires Wilford Woodruff to help him make a hundred thousand bricks to construct a large house for Col. Michael Arthur in Clay County. Other workers include Wilford Woodruff, Milton Holmes, Heman T. Hyde and Stephen and Benjamin Winchester.	¶ Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff lived with Lyman on Arthur's property. Meetings of the high council and elders council met on the site, as did the branch, which met in Lyman's house. Lyman Wight to Wilford Woodruff, Aug. 24, 1857
Signs discharge papers		July 1, 1834 with Sylvester Smith, signs discharge papers for Frederick G. Williams, who was "council to the commander in Chief of the Army of the Lord's house" and quartermaster.	¶ Frederick G. Williams
High council		July 3, 1834 named to first high council of Zion.	Minutes of July 3, 1834
		July 12, 1834 called to visit the scattered refugees from Jackson County with Amasa Lyman (h).	Minutes of July 12, 1834
		August 16, 1834 Joseph writes Lyman Wight that September 11, 1836 "is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion."	Joseph to Lyman Wight, et. al., Aug. 16, 1834 in PWJS, 347–350. September 11: fifth anniversary of ¶ D&C 64:21.
Devil cause of disease, treating the ill		August 21, 1834 charged with teaching disease and medicine are of the Devil. Council determines members may believe whatever they want, but may not teach that Satan is the sole cause of disease or interfere with administering roots, herbs, and vegetables for health.	Minutes of August 21, 1834
		March 13, 1835 leaves on a mission to Cincinnati, returning May 18.
Kirtland House of the Lord		May 3, 1835 leaves for Kirtland to help build the House of the Lord and attend the School of the Prophets, returning eight months later.
		November 2, 1835 arrives in Kirtland.	MH-A, 17 // JS Journals 1, 82.
		[December 29, 1835 patriarchal blessing by Joseph Smith, Sr., F. G. Williams scribe:] … The enemy will seek to destroy thee; for he will try to lift thee up in pride, and make thee think much of thyself for thy elequence: but be careful, and not let the pride of thy destroy thee, … it is thy power, by keeping the commandments, to call thy thousands into the true fold, even among tongues and languages that thou knowest not; … Be faithful, brother Wight, and I seal thee up unto eternal life …	Blessings, 57–58.

		Families
Wife		Harriet Benton, b. Mar. 19, 1801 in Litchfield, Litchfield County, Connecticut; md. Jan. 5, 1823 d. Feb. 26, 1889 in Greeley, Holt, Nebraska	¶ Ancestry.com
Children		Orange Leander/Lysander (b. Nov. 29, 1823 in Centerville, Allegany, New York) Anna Christina (b. Sept. 30, 1825 in Centerville, Allegany, New York) Rosina Minerva (b. Nov. 16, 1827 in Warrensville, Cuyahoga, Ohio) Lyman Lehi (b. Dec. 27, 1833 in Clay County, Missouri) Levi Lamoni (b. Mar. 1, 1836 in Clay County, Missouri) Laomi Limhi (b. Nov. 2, 1838 in Davis County, Missouri)
Wife		Sarah Benton (1800–)
Wife		Mary Hawley, b. 1823 md. [1850] in Dexter, Texas [From 72 has 1845, 2 children] d. 1852	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Wife		Mary Ann Otis, b. 1800 md. [1851] in Bandera, Bandera, Texas [3 children]	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Wife		Margaret Ballentine, b. 1819 md. [1851] in Hamilton Creek, Burnet, Texas [1 child] d. 1884	FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19
Children		Carmalony (1852–1912) Sonomony (1852–) John Wrymerion (1854–1921)
Wife		Mary Ann Hobart (1828–1897)
Children		Carrema Otis (1852–1926) Rolliando H. (1854–1897)
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